Projecting a light through a housing or panel to provide information is commonplace. Examples include but are not limited to computer keyboards that include indication lights for functions such as “Caps Lock” or “Num Lock”; computer monitors that include an “on/off” light, automobiles that include lights to indicate whether heated seats are on or off, or whether an air bag is on or off; televisions with indicator lights, and a whole host of other consumer electronics.
A common way to provide for such lighting is to provide a projecting light that is visible when the light is off, and brightly lit to indicate when it is on. A collection of lights, or holes for lights, may be disruptive to the objectives of an industrial designer.